M83, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, is located in the constellation Hydra. The galaxy is classified as a barred spiral, similar to our own Milky Way. It is estimated to be approximately 15 million light-years distant. M83 is the center of one of two sub-groups of the Centaurus A/M83 Group of galaxies. M83 is one of the brightest galaxies in our sky and may be viewed with the aid of binoculars from dark sky observing sites located in lower northern latitudes.